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NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – When it comes to how much college graduates make, the name of their school might not matter as much as it used to.

Overall, it still pays to get a college education, but a student’s major is the most important factor. According to the Department of Education’s new survey, that’s much more important than whether a student goes to a public or private college.

The study found students graduating in the math and science fields earned the most money at their first jobs.

It looked at students who graduated with their bachelor’s degree in 2008, a year that was difficult for students to get jobs in a struggling economy.

Students graduating from private and public colleges made the same; an average of 50-thousand dollars a year.

Marissa Maiewski of Northampton said, “I just think it depends on how much you learned and what the degree taught you and I don’t think the name of the college should make you getting a different job different.”

Only 16 percent of students from this study graduated with degrees having to do with science or math. Those that did made 15-thousand dollars more than graduates with other degrees.